Report: Glamorgan v Warwickshire, Metro Bank One Day Cup

Rob Yates and Ed Barnard crafted an opening partnership of 188 to set the platform for Warwickshire to maintain their 100 per cent record in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

But the Bears endured an almighty scare after a spirited Glamorgan fightback endangered their side’s 331/7 total.

Glamorgan teenager Ben Kellaway struck 67 off 41 balls to take the Welsh County within sight of victory but the hosts fell 24 runs short after Kellaway was caught on the boundary off Ed Barnard with 17 balls remaining.

Warwickshire’s imposing score was built on the foundations laid by the opening partnership of Yates and Barnard, which fell just one run short of a record opening partnership for Warwickshire in all List A cricket.

Needless to say it was a record opening partnership against Glamorgan, with Barnard the more aggressive of the two early on though Yates caught him up and went past his opening partner.

Their steady progress went up a gear when Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson brought himself on as his first two overs were expensive.

Carlson continued to ring the changes in his bowling attack as he searched for a breakthrough, but Barnard and Yates continued their serene progress taking advantage of the short Neath boundaries.

Zain-ul-Hassan was the bowler who eventually made the breakthrough when Barnard was caught by Timm van der Gugten for 79 off 88 balls.

That sparked a bit of a mini collapse as Michael Burgess went for just seven and then there was the big wicket of Yates for 102 off 114 balls, all in a three over period for just seven runs.

Will Rhodes was the common denominator as Warwickshire bounced back from that minor setback, but more of the aggression was coming from the other end.

Ethan Brookes got 38 off 25, Hamza Shaikh 21 off 10, as Warwickshire plundered 129 from the final 14 overs. Rhodes was out just before the close for 44 off 45 balls.

Teenager Ben Kellaway continued his promising introduction to List A cricket with 3-56 off his seven overs, while ul-Hassan and Andy Gorvin both took two wickets.

Glamorgan’s innings could not have got off to a much worse start with openers Thomas Bevan and Eddie Byrom both falling early to Oliver Hannon-Dalby as the opening bowler used his height to cause problems.

That brought Carlson and Sam Northeast to the crease and their partnership was always likely to be central to Glamorgan’s hopes. Carlson showed his intent from the start, racing to his half century off just 33 balls. Glamorgan’s hundred came up in the 15^th over.

Carlson fell for 61, his dismissal coming a little out of the blue as Craig Miles got some movement away and keeper Burgess dived to take the low catch.

Northeast and Billy Root made steady progress to 181 off 31 overs, but the return of 6’8” Hannon-Dalby saw the end of the former aiming over square leg but the extra bounce meant a top edge to fine leg.

Billy Root struck an assured 56, but the impetus was provided by Kellaway who launched a series of fours and sixes to put his team ahead of the run rate. He brought up an excellent half century off 26 balls, with four sixes.

Wicketkeeper Alex Horton looked good for a quickfire 14, and it took a world class catch diving on the boundary by Ethan Brookes to dismiss him.

Van der Gugten came and went to a fantastic boundary rope catch by Ethan Brookes before Andy Gorvin was clean bowled to give Hannan-Dalby his fourth wicket.

Yates said: “Hopefully everyone had a great day watching, a cracking game to be involved in, just an interesting and exciting game of cricket.

“The wicket was pretty soft to start with, it was nipping around which was quite tough, so we quickly realised between us that we might look ugly at times but wickets in hand was the key.

“We were 36 for 0 after 10 and some days you would look and say get on with it, but we were quite content setting it up for later on, and fair play to the lads down the order who kept the momentum to get us to 330 was fantastic.

“We know we have won games in different ways in this competition. It was very tight at the end, Ben Kellaway played a great innings which got us twitchy, but the bowlers got it back at the end.”